My Gold Rush Career Begins in 1984

Chapter 22 Wild Dog
Altay in northern Xinjiang is a place full of mystery.

Here lives a special group of people—the Altay herders.

They live a nomadic life, moving their livestock, including cattle, sheep, and camels, to different pastures every year.

Migratory migration is a production method developed by herders to adapt to the environment and ensure the growth and reproduction of livestock.

In Altay, due to the unique geographical location and climate conditions, herders need to choose different pastures for grazing according to different seasons and terrains.

In spring and summer, the climate in the Altay region is warm, and the vegetation becomes increasingly lush, making it the best time for livestock to grow.

At this time, herders will choose to move their livestock to summer pastures deep in the mountains.

Summer pastures are located at higher elevations and have a cooler climate, which is conducive to livestock escaping the heat and growing. At the same time, the abundant forage can meet the nutritional needs of livestock, making it the most relaxing time for herders.

In autumn and winter, the Altay region becomes cold and dry, and the vegetation withers. At this time, herders have to move their livestock to lower-lying areas with relatively warmer climates to help them get through the winter.

At this time, the fodder becomes scarce, and herders need to constantly replenish the feed. This is also the most difficult time, as many cattle and sheep are often lost due to the cold weather or lack of food.

During his years in Wucheng, Zhou Jingming even witnessed herders being forced to collect cardboard to feed their cattle and sheep.

I've also seen herdsmen constantly dragging away and burying the dead cattle and sheep.

The herders do not eat these kinds of cattle and sheep.

It's not even May yet; the wild grass in the mountains hasn't sprouted, the trees haven't budded, and the herders haven't arrived. When the weather warms up, the herders will drive their cattle and sheep into the deep mountains, and they might even reach the border.

Transitions have become very common.

Every year when herders migrate, many lost or unwanted dogs are abandoned in the winter.

In Zhou Jingming's memory, five years later, after he was released from the labor camp, he went to Altay to pan for gold. When he was about to leave after school, he saw a group of abandoned wild dogs chasing and playing in the silent forest.

However, they lacked experience in hunting in the wild, and the weather grew colder day by day, then came the first snow, the second snow...

In this desolate wilderness, there is no one to be seen, and no one will feed them. They just starve and freeze to death inexplicably.

And those who barely survive will face even harsher misfortunes.

Every year after the herders leave, many miners, forestry workers, or other men who have free time in the surrounding area will go into the mountains with guns or hunting tools to hunt dogs. Many of them like to eat dog meat.

This is much easier than hunting.

As Zhou Jingming passed through this future ruin, he looked around from time to time, but couldn't find a single stray dog. He figured that by this time, there probably wouldn't be any stray dogs left.

Those who were meant to starve to death starved to death, those who were meant to freeze to death froze to death, and many more have probably already turned into excrement, perhaps frozen into a lump in some slightly hidden corner, or become food for other wild animals.

After crossing the 80-meter-long Fourth Mine Bridge, the two turned right onto the road.

In a few years, this road will become a paradise for anglers.

Along the mountain path and the Haiertes River nestled between two mountains, you can fish all the way and enjoy the thrill of catching fish.

At the same time, this place is also a paradise for stone lovers. They like to drive along the river, and in places where the water is calm, they either roll up their trousers or wear waders and go down into the river to search for stones with unique patterns in the crystal-clear water.

But these days, few people have the leisure or inclination for that.

Therefore, after turning onto the mountain road, no more farmland or human habitation can be seen.

As evening approached, the two found a secluded spot under a cliff by the river, cut down enough firewood from the mountain to burn until dawn, and started a campfire.

I spread some branches of climbing pine on the ground to make it softer, so it can be used as a bed for tonight.

The climbing pine is a very common tree in the Altay region. To be precise, it should be called a cypress. It has a very high oil content, and herders like to use it for firewood and also use its branches to smoke meat. It is a very good plant.

The two heated the naan bread under the rocky cliff, filled their stomachs with wine, and, having walked all day without stopping, were too tired to talk. They spread out their bedding, added more firewood to make the fire burn brighter, and crawled into their bedding to sleep fully clothed.

With this fire burning, few wild animals usually dare to approach, so there's not much to worry about.

Although the surrounding grasslands and forests were still covered with snow, the fire and the warmth gathered by the firelight as it bounced back and forth on the cliff made the two of them feel quite warm and they slept comfortably. Before long, as the temperature inside the mattress rose, they began to snore.

The night was still quite long. By the latter half of the night, Zhou Jingming and Peng Yuanchao had actually slept for quite some time and woke up one after the other.

As Zhou Jingming added firewood to the campfire, he suddenly heard rustling sounds coming from the direction of the nearby riverbank. He alertly whispered, "Brother Peng...there's movement!"

Peng Yuanchao sat up abruptly and hurried to get the double-barreled shotgun that was placed upright against the rocky cliff.

Seeing that he was ready, Zhou Jingming also took out the knife that he had hidden in his waistband.

Then, he took out a flashlight and shone it in the direction from which the sound came.

Among the weeds along the riverbank, several spots of green light could be seen.

Upon seeing this, Peng Yuanchao exclaimed, "Wolf!" and raised his gun to fire.

Zhou Jingming saw it more clearly and quickly called out, "It's not a wolf, it's a wild dog!"

Upon hearing this, Peng Yuanchao breathed a slight sigh of relief, put down his gun, and took out his flashlight to scan the stray dogs.

Zhou Jingming never expected that after walking all day and not seeing any dogs in the places he thought were most likely to be stray dogs, he would actually see a pack of them in this wilderness.

There were five stray dogs, each with a different coat color. Two of them were large dogs, while the other three were puppies.

Judging from their size, they must have been born after winter. I don't know how many puppies were born in the litter. I guess there were some losses during the winter, leaving only three puppies.

Zhou Jingming looked at the stray dogs and found that the two big dogs were not as thin as he had imagined. The male dog, in particular, looked tall and strong, which was enough to show that they had a good winter and should have excellent hunting skills.

"Brother Peng, let's try to lure it and see if we can catch the big male dog and bring it into the mountains!"

"What do you need this thing for?"

"Once we've scouted the area and set up camp in the mountains, we'll get a dog to help guard it. It'll keep out wild animals and prevent others from getting close. It'll be a great way to keep watch."

This is why Zhou Jingming intentionally checked for stray dogs today.

In his previous life, when he went to Altay to pan for gold, he never thought of raising a dog. However, he had seen sheepdogs owned by a gold mine owner, which were excellent helpers for guarding the house and protecting himself. In addition, he now had other plans in mind, and the idea of ​​raising a good dog came to him.

That fierce-looking male dog seemed quite suitable.

"A gun is enough. What's the point of having a dog? Bringing one into the mountains would just be a burden. Who has the time to take care of a dog? I don't want to waste food."

Peng Yuanchao did not take Zhou Jingming's suggestion. Instead, his eyes lit up: "Eating a meal of dog meat is not bad."

As he said this, he raised the gun again.

"Don't……"

Zhou Jingming shook his head, full of emotion: "Actually, many times, I feel that we gold prospectors are similar to these wild dogs. When we get to the mountains, it's like we've been abandoned, scavenging for food in the wilderness."

Every now and then, people who want to eat dog meat will see these dogs and chase them away or kill them. It's not easy for them to survive in the wilderness.

"We've struck gold, but others will covet our territory, our gold, and even try to drive us away... It's pretty much the same thing."

Seemingly moved by Zhou Jingming's words, Peng Yuanchao hesitated for a moment before putting down the hunting rifle he was holding.

Zhou Jingming took a naan bread out of his bag, toasted it by the rekindled fire, then tore it into pieces and threw it at the stray dogs.

The puppies seemed very wary, but the two adult dogs, having spent years with humans and suffering from hunger, were particularly affectionate and had a fearful and humble demeanor.

Seeing the naan bread thrown by Zhou Jingming, they lowered their front legs and heads, crawling cautiously and slowly towards the bread.

As it climbed, it kept a close eye on Zhou Jingming and Peng Yuanchao's movements, and wagged its tail in an attempt to please them.

Once they crawl to the edge of the pouch, they snatch it in their mouths, run away, and then begin to tear and swallow it with their claws.

Looking at the dogs, Zhou Jingming said to Peng Yuanchao, "How about we get one?"

Peng Yuanchao smiled and said, "If you're willing to spend money on dog food, I have no objection. This thing has a big appetite; if you really feed it, it can eat more than a person!"

"Okay, I'll pay for the grain!"

Zhou Jingming tied the rope used to bind the bedding into a noose, intending to use it to tie up the dog. He then took out a naan bread from his bag, shone a flashlight on it, and moved closer, trying to use the naan to lure the male dog to him and gain a chance to tie it up.

(End of this chapter)